The All Progressives Congress has said Senator Monday Okpebholo remains its governorship candidate in Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, made the clarification in a statement in Abuja.

Mr Morka said the clarification became necessary following fake news that Mr Okpebholo had been disqualified by a magistrate court.

He said, “In the final hours to the Edo State governorship election scheduled to hold Saturday, September 21, 2024, certain political parties have desperately resorted to forgery and disinformation on our candidate. The blackmail is to the extent of circulating a fake magistrate court ruling purportedly disqualifying Senator Okpebholo, the APC governorship candidate in the election. The circulated ruling is fake, a fabrication and an act of pure desperation in the face of their imminent defeat at the polls.’’

He said the magistrate court that purportedly issued the fake ruling had issued a disclaimer, stating categorically that it did not emanate from it.

Mr Morka added that the fake ruling meant to sow seeds of doubt about the APC candidate was a blatant and calculated attempt to subvert the will of the Edo electorate.

He stated, “We call on our law enforcement agencies to identify, investigate and bring the perpetrators of this falsehood to book.’’

He, therefore, urged Edo voters to remain vigilant and resolute in the exercise of their democratic rights at the polls.

He expressed trust that Edo people would ignore the fake ruling and other illegal devices by desperate candidates and their parties to subvert the election.

“Senator Monday Okpebholo is and remains, the standard bearer of the APC in Edo governorship election,” Mr Morka stated.

(NAN)